Peace is Hard Won
by Better a Freak Than A Fake
Summary: On the surfaces, Amity and Dauntless are the most different of the five factions. This leaves Amity-Born Mia an impossible decision when she comes back with a Dauntless test result, and the resulting decision makes her question everything she's ever known
1. Only Surface Deep

**Disclaimer, I do not own Divergent and do not own Mia either if anyone here knows who she is. Both are owned by Veronica Roth.**

"Mia!" I hear my name ring through the fields where I'm gathering strawberries. I look up at the sky, realizing that my shift is over.

I scoop up my basket and run to the crate that we're supposed to deliver them to, trying and failing not to think about my test result.

They don't have to make our decision for us. I can still stay here in Amity with my family and all my friends; pick crops and play banjo in a circle, just loving everybody.

It's just… How can someone with a Dauntless aptitude ever belong in Amity?

The answer is simple: she can't. Whatever drove me to grab that knife-to kill that dog-only proves that I can never be a member here, where violence and weapons under any circumstances are the ultimate evil.

Tomorrow I have to make my choice: my blood soaking into the soil, or sizzling on the coals.

If I choose the coal, my family will have to come on Visiting Day, right? They'd have to forgive me. Forgiveness is a major focus of Amity's values after all and it isn't like I'm transferring to Candor. The Amity and Dauntless have always gotten along just fine.

I dump the strawberries into the crate and am hugged by the supervisor, Lief. "Nice work, Mia."

That is something I'll probably miss if I transfer to Dauntless. Here, there are no strangers. Everyone knows everyone's name and you will always be greeted with kindness and open arms both literally and figuratively.

"Sorry, I stayed a little late. Just a little distracted thinking about tomorrow."

"Every sixteen-year-old is, there's no harm done." Remember what I said about forgiveness? It always applies here and usually immediately though it is an important act of kindness to apologize.

I already know that the Dauntless aren't nearly as forgiving though the Dependents at least do seem to have a similar sense of togetherness. I've never seen just one Dauntless; they always travel in groups.

"I should probably leave you to work now though. It was nice speaking with you, Lief."

"It was nice speaking with you as well, Mia. And good luck!" he calls as I have already broken into a sprint through the fields-another trait belonging to both the Amity and the Dauntless.

I head straight home which, as all the buildings in Amity, has enough windows to be considered outside. Where there aren't windows, there's a plethora of beautiful artwork of different mediums.

It occurs to me that I have no idea where the Dauntless compound is or what it's like having never been there, just the people. Though I do see the Dauntless quite a lot both dependents in Upper Levels and the members surrounding our entire complex though. It's a rather unnatural alliance.

Valuing peace though there's no reason to hate or estrange from a faction just because we don't agree with or more so wouldn't be willing to practice their beliefs. Except the Candor, always flapping their mouths with no regards for a person's feelings basically stirring up conflict for no reason then being 'honest'. That hatred has run deep from both sides since the beginning. "Mom, I'm home!" I call out.

"In the kitchen!" I rush into the kitchen and hug her trying to act like the Amity I'm supposed to be. "How was work?" She asks and I feel a relief at the law that she's not allowed to ask about my test result and I'm not allowed to share it.

It would still be hard to tell her that I'm meant for Dauntless. We may be friends, but we're still exact opposites. She'd probably feel as if she hadn't raised me to be peaceful enough.

I nod swallowing a lump in my throat. "It was good; I was on strawberries." There's really nothing else to say on the subject. Even if you get stuck at the fence I'd imagine Dauntless jobs have much more interesting stories to share and I do know that the Dauntless have a strong sense of pack mentality. Even as an Amity transfer I should have trouble making friends, comrades or whatever they call them. That way I'd still have someone to share them with. "What's for dinner?" I ask breaking away from my own thoughts.

"Spaghetti, green beans, and garlic toast. It's almost ready, just waiting on the garlic toast."

Just like that I hear a ding. "Garlic toast!" I exclaim, rushing over to the oven. I grab a heat-pad and pull them out wishing they didn't have to cool. I love garlic toast or anything with bread really. Everyone in Amity does. It just always seems to make everyone so much happier which doesn't seem like it should be possible.

"You can go ahead and start dishing up the other stuff," she tells me and I grab a plate loading up with spaghetti and green beans but, of course, leaving plenty of room for the toast.

"It all smells great, Mom." I smile kindly at her.

She doesn't even hesitate to return the smile. "Thank you, Sweetie. Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

"Isn't everyone?"

"That they are." She nods knowingly. "I will always love you though even if you don't choose Amity. Unless you choose Candor then, I probably won't be coming over to the Merciless Mart to visit." She laughs when she says it, but I know better ever since my older brother transferred to those jerks, she refuses to acknowledge that he existed in the first place. Even Amity forgiveness has its limits.

I glance out of one of the many windows and see my older sister, Dawn, the eldest, skipping towards the house. Her decision to stay five years ago must have been so easy. Everything came quickly to her. She's always been the perfect picture of Amity... well... perfection. She moved to her own house with her painter husband, Sage, who was with her at the moment but at least if I transfer to Dauntless then they still have her here in Amity.

I rush out the door and hug them both. "You came."

"Of course we came, Mia." Dawn giggled twirling a lock of curly brown hair around her finger. "I have to see the night before my little sissy's big day!"

"Well, I'm glad you came. Come on in, you got here just in time for dinner."

"Great then, it's okay to be nervous though, Mia. I heard that even the Dauntless are nervous on these two days. They just hide it a lot better." It's a perfectly valid statement since as the name implies you wouldn't expect the Dauntless to be nervous about anything but... something about the way she says it... as if Dauntless is suddenly written across my face.

Maybe it had always been there… I had been sent to the Conflict Room many more times than anyone I've ever heard of.

I don't do it to be mean, but I just get so mad sometimes. God, I hate it in there though. Like, you have no idea.

"Right, I'll keep that in mind," I say, awkwardly heading back into the house. With Dawn and Sage on tail and one thought crosses my mind:

**Cliffhanger! Please review and please do so like a Candor.**


	2. Anyone for a Surprise?

I need to get out of here. Plain and simple, I can't stay. The test had proved what was in my face the whole time. I was never meant to be Amity like Dawn. I'm Dauntless: I like to fight, I love a good adrenaline rush from anything I can find, and I had never had the opportunity before but I can't deny that the knife in the test felt so right in my hand, even drenched in dog's blood.

Does that make me a terrible person? I don't think so. I don't think so at all.

I keep my face in a smile as we enter and I dish up the finally cooled garlic toast which at the first bite seems to calm my nerves as if by magic.

Dinner passes by with its usual chatter until I head to my room alone as every 16-year-old in any faction is supposed to do tonight. Take the night to themselves to think over their choice.

I can be Dauntless. I know I can. I take off my yellow sundress and bra just sleeping in my underwear since it's always way too hot out here and lying down willing myself into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

><p>I'm woken up seconds later when the morning sun comes through the window right into my eyes. I hiss at it rubbing spots from my eyes. I'm sure even on the first day a dress would have me screwed in Dauntless so I slip on a pair of red shorts a yellow tank top. Besides the colors obviously it pretty much what I see Dauntless girls wear showing off their muscles and tattoos.<p>

I obviously don't have tattoos as they're strictly Dauntless affiliated but thanks to all the big heavy crates, I am strong and it does show.

I head straight out and to the trucks. If I see them today, it will only make it that much harder to leave it all behind. Faction before blood anyways. Might as well get a head start.

I sit down on a crate as more Amity pile into the trunk. The other sixteen-year-olds all seem nervous so much that for once the bed is mostly quite as the truck starts to move through the gates and to the city center.

* * *

><p>It's days until we arrive at the Hub. I look to the train tracks but look away before anyone catches me. No one should know my intended choice until it's actually made.<p>

At that point, they'll be no turning back, just Dauntless or Factionless.

The rest of the Amity pile into the elevator and I follow being pushed by the crowd. I notice the usually, gentle whispers and giggles return, but I keep my lips pressed together, leaning against the wall. "Is something wrong, Mia?"

I looked up from my brown boots to find Leah watching me. She's only ten. She has years until she has to choose, but so many of each faction come to watch that it's no surprise. "No, I'm just thinking. I am at the end of the alphabet after all." It was true, with the names going in reverse alphabetical order Zimmerman was undoubtedly going to be first.

That can be a good thing and a bad thing.

The door slides open to the room and I take my spot on the beginning of the line. I was right, no one goes before me. It will probably be weird for everyone to have the first choice be a transfer and such a rare one at that.

It should be easy: go up, take the knife, cut my palm, and drip my blood onto the coals.

This is our life we're signing away. How could a choice so important be so simple?

It's the Dauntless' year so one of their leaders takes the stage and explains the history of the factions. All of which we all know from Faction History class so I tune him out until the actual ceremony starts. "Zimmerman, Mia."

I stand up straight and look no where but my destination as I climb up to the stage and take the knife, which feels just as right as it did in my test, from the man who will soon be one of my own leaders. "I'm sorry," I whisper and cut into my hand letting my blood drop onto the coals.

Though my birth faction and new faction are the two loudest, you could hear a pin drop. "Dauntless!" my new leader announces. I look and see that his eyes are wide as he takes the next knife.

Final, there's a roar from the Dauntless as I make my way over and stand alone.

Apparently, I hadn't started anything, as most of the ceremonies goes off as normal. A few transfers but almost everyone chooses their faction of origin.

That is until we're nearing the end. A scrawny-looking boy in Abnegation grey stands on stage for much longer than normal turning the knife over and over in his hand. Why doesn't he just spill his blood on the stones and get it over with? Everyone knows Stiffs never transfer factions.

That would be much too selfish of them.

He does cut into his hand though but doesn't let it fall on the stones, instead on the bowl's neighbor, the coals.

The first transfer from Abnegation in years, the first Abnegation Dauntless transfer in decades… and I thought my own choice was a surprise. I never caught his name but assuming he gets on the train I'll find out later.

**So if anyone here's dense, the shaky little Abnegation boy who transferred to Dauntless is Tobias/Four. If you've read the official prequel novella series Four, you, hopefully, know that Mia does exist. I'm just elaborating on her. Please review and despite all the insults to Candor in this story, Candor-style reviews are greatly appreciated.**


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